Collecting and exhibiting contemporary art for almost 100 years, Towner Eastbourne sits where the coast and the South Downs meet. Towner presents exhibitions of national and international importance for audiences in Eastbourne, the UK, and beyond, showcasing the most exciting and creative developments in modern and contemporary art.
Temporary closure in April/ May
Towner will be closed entirely from Monday 15 to Friday 19 April inclusive.
Our ground floor shop, cinema café and cinema will re-open from Saturday 20 April, but all galleries, Ravilious Room, Collection Library and our restaurant Light will remain closed, to allow for the de-install of the Turner Prize.
Light will re-open on Friday 3 May, Gallery 1 and the Ravilious Gallery & Collection Library will re-open on Saturday 4 May with a new free exhibition by artist Maria Amidu, in the perpetual back and forth. The Ravilious Room display will feature works by Eric Ravilious and some of his contemporaries, alongside key works from Towner’s Collection.
All of our galleries will be back open to the public on Thursday 9 May, with Emma Stibbon: Melting Ice | Rising Tides on the top floor and Florence Peake: FACTUAL ACTUAL: Ensemble in our Studio Spaces.
Address
Towner Eastbourne
Devonshire Park, College Road
Eastbourne, BN21 4JJ
+44 (0) 1323434670
towner@townereastbourne.org.uk
Admission
Entry to the gallery is free.
Guide, hearing, and assistance dogs are welcome at Towner – feel free to ask at the welcome desk for a water bowl.
9 self-service lockers are available in the welcome lobby.
Opening times
Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00am to 5.00pm
Late First Fridays: Open to 8.00pm on the first Friday of each month during the Turner Prize.
We are also open every Bank Holiday Monday, 10.00am to 5.00pm.
Hotel partners
Stay for a night or two with one of our hotel partners, offering discounts throughout the duration of the Turner Prize.
£25.00 discount for rooms until 14 April 2024
Use the discount code TURNER2024 to receive a £25.00 discount (subject to availability).
15% discount for Bed & Breakfast until 14 April 2024
Use the discount code Turner2023 by emailing hello@stayatport.com (subject to availability).
10% discount on all room bookings from 1 June 2023.
Use the discount code TURNERPRIZE2023. Guests using this code will also be entitled to a 10% discount on food.
Temporary closure in April/ May
Towner will be closed entirely from Monday 15 to Friday 19 April inclusive.
Our ground floor shop, cinema café and cinema will re-open from Saturday 20 April, but all galleries, Ravilious Room, Collection Library and our restaurant Light will remain closed, to allow for the de-install of the Turner Prize.
Light, Gallery 1 and the Ravilious Gallery & Collection Library will re-open on Saturday 4 May with a new free exhibition by artist Maria Amidu, in the perpetual back and forth. The Ravilious Room display will feature works by Eric Ravilious and some of his contemporaries, alongside key works from Towner’s Collection.
All of our galleries will be back open to the public on Thursday 9 May, with Emma Stibbon: Melting Ice/Rising Tides on the top floor and Florence Peake: FACTUAL/ACTUAL in our Studio Spaces.
By Train
Find out how to get to Towner car-free
There are regular trains to Eastbourne station from London Victoria, London Bridge, Brighton, Bexhill, Hastings and Ashford.
Please plan your journey and book tickets without any booking fees via Southern Railway using the widget below.
By Bus
Buses 12, 12A, 12X, 13X, 3, 98 & 99 stop near Towner. Towner is a 30-minute journey from Seven Sisters
Sussex Art Shuttle
The hop-on-hop-off Sussex Art Shuttle returns on Saturday 30 March and will run until Sunday 27 October. A day ticket costs £3.50 and follows a spectacular route that takes in the iconic Seven Sisters cliffs, Cuckmere Valley and the picturesque villages of Alfriston and Litlington.
Cycling
Bike racks are available on Devonshire Quarter Plaza in front of Towner.
You can explore the area around us with the beautiful Coastal Culture Trail map which is available to download here.
By Car
For Towner via satnav use postcode BN21 4JJ or for College Road Car Park use BN21 4HZ
Pay and Display car parking is available in College Road Car Park, 100m from Towner which includes blue badge spaces. Charges (except blue badge) apply 8am - 6pm daily, incl. Bank Holidays. Minimum charge is £1.40. Free on-street parking is possible on College Road and other adjacent streets. 5 Blue Badge spaces are available in the layby alongside the Devonshire Quarter Plaza. There is also a drop off/waiting area for blue badge holders immediately outside Towner, with a 30 minute waiting time. The nearest multi-story car parking is at Trinity Place, which is a 10 minute walk to Towner.
The Lansdowne
The Lansdowne special offer
The Lansdowne is a family owned (since 1912) hotel on Eastbourne seafront with a selection of cosy, standard, executive, family and superior bedrooms, many with far-reaching sea views.
Booking for the Turner Prize?
Enjoy a £25.00 discount on rooms at The Lansdowne this autumn
Use the discount code TURNER2024 to receive a £25.00 discount - available to book from 28 September 2023 until 14 April 2024 (subject to availability).
Port Hotel special offer
Port Hotel is a contemporary boutique hotel situated on the Royal Parade in Eastbourne with far-reaching sea views, just a stone’s throw from the beach. A lovingly restored Victorian Townhouse hotel, boasting 19 modern bedrooms with a relaxed and inviting cocktail bar.
Booking for the Turner Prize?
Port is offering a 15% discount on Bed & Breakfast until 14 April 2024
Use the discount code Turner2023 by emailing hello@stayatport.com (subject to availability).
The View Hotel special offer
Situated on the seafront with stunning panoramic views, The View Hotel Eastbourne offers guests an ideal base while visiting Eastbourne.
Booking for the Turner Prize?
The View is offering a 10% discount on all room bookings from 1 June 2023. Use the discount code TURNERPRIZE2023. Guests using this code will also be entitled to a 10% discount on food.
For our ticketed events concessionary rates apply to:
Over 65s, people in receipt of job seekers/universal credit benefits, people who are disabled, full-time students. Under 18s have free admission into our exhibitions. Please note that concessionary rates do not apply to Membership.
Our shop offers a wide and varied range of beautiful and unique products, including prints, Ravilious-inspired merchandise, scarves, ceramics, stationery and jewellery. Our products are often influenced by our Collection and current exhibitions, with many bespoke items exclusive to Towner. If you can't make it to Towner in person we also have our online shop, with a selection of the best-loved items from our gallery shop.
Don’t forget that Towner membership entitles you to a discount on all retail purchases made in the gallery. You can join for as little as £35 per year.
Please note: Towner will be closed entirely from Monday 15 to Friday 19 April inclusive.
Our ground floor shop, cinema café and cinema will re-open from Saturday 20 April, but all galleries, Ravilious Room, Collection Library and our restaurant Light will remain closed, to allow for the de-install of the Turner Prize.
Light, Gallery 1 and the Ravilious Gallery & Collection Library will re-open on Saturday 4 May with a new free exhibition by artist Maria Amidu, in the perpetual back and forth. The Ravilious Room display will feature works by Eric Ravilious and some of his contemporaries, alongside key works from Towner’s Collection.
All of our galleries will be back open to the public on Thursday 9 May, with Emma Stibbon: Melting Ice/Rising Tides on the top floor and Florence Peake: FACTUAL/ACTUAL in our Studio Spaces.
At Towner we always aim to to be accessible to all, and will do all that we can to make your visit as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Staff are always available to provide support if needed and you can also contact us in advance if you wish to discuss some specific requirements that you may need some support with. Please contact us on 01323 434675 or towner@townereastbourne.org.uk
We have:
• a very large lift to all floors, which is particularly useful for groups.
• a manual wheelchair for visitors with mobility difficulties (contact us to book in advance)
• an induction loop system at the welcome desk and in the cinema.
• large-print exhibition guides available for all exhibitions
You can read more on this page about how we're making the Turner Prize 2023 accessible. Here, you'll be able to book Quiet Times and download Turner Prize related access guides.
Staff are available in each exhibition to provide support/assistance as required.
Guide, hearing, and assistance dogs are welcome at Towner – feel free to ask at the welcome desk for a water bowl.
If you have particular needs in the event of an emergency evacuation, please inform the welcome desk on arrival.
Towner is an inspiring space for all types of groups to explore and enjoy and we offer a variety of packages to help you make the most of your visit.
As well as offering regular Art Store Tours on alternate Sundays (see our Events page for more information) we can also accommodate Private Art Store Tours which are a perfect excursion for groups (NADFAS, WI, U3A etc) or social outings for friends. A booking form and FAQs are available to download below. You can purchase a Gift Voucher for a Private Art Store Tour as a gift for someone else.
If you would like to visit Turner Prize with a school or other education group (schools, colleges, universities, teachers) please see our Educational Group Visits page.
We are unable to offer in person introductions of Turner Prize (except for education groups) but we have developed some resources that will help self-led groups get the most out of their visit, which you can find in the information sheet below:
Download Turner Prize Group Visit information sheet
Group and Private Art Store Tours
A behind-the-scenes visit to our Art Store is an ideal outing for a large group or a private visit with friends. We will work with you to tailor the content to suit your specific interests and ensure you get the most from your visit. To complete a special day out, we can also arrange catering on your behalf including reserved seating (where available).
These personalised private tours make an excellent gift for the art-lover in your life.
Private tours are charged at £60 for up to 5 people. This is a special opportunity to go behind the scenes with an expert guide and find out more about the works and artists in our extensive and varied Collection. The tour will last approximately one hour. If you wish to invite more than 5 people you can pay for additional spaces on the day. Additional spaces will be charged at £10 per person, with a maximum number of 12 people in total on one tour.
If you are looking to bring a larger group, please contact us directly to discuss the options for arranging this and costs involved.
Our FAQ document below may be a useful reference point when planning your visit.
For any further queries please contact dutymanagers@townereastbourne.org.uk or call 01323 434675.
To book a private or group tour, please download the booking form below.
Go behind the scenes and enjoy a fascinating introduction to our impressive Collection of over 5000 works in our bespoke art store. Starting with the original Victorian bequest, your tour will then cover works by artists such as Eric Ravilious, Duncan Grant, Sandra Blow, Alfred Wallis, Alice Neel and Tacita Dean. Combine with a visit to our café and our new shop to make a day of it. We also offer gift vouchers for Private Art Store Tours at a time of your choice.
Art Store Tours take place on alternating Sundays throughout the year. Go to our What's On page to see individual dates.
2.00pm to 3.00pm
£10/£9 concession & Towner members